Lead Medical Supply Tech (Sterile Processing)
- Distributes and prioritizes workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations.
- Assures an even workflow and distribution of the workload.
- Revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload.
- Assigns work to staff based on experience and training needs. Monitors and reports on the status of work.
- Ensures SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during the performance of workflow.
- Reviews work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions on such things as work sequence, procedures, methods, and deadlines.
- Assesses the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution of technical medical equipment, material, and instrumentation.
- Provides information to management officials concerning performance issues, assignment changes and task completion.
- Instructs employees on work-related activities, policies, procedures, and goals.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
The MST embraces patient-family centered care principles. The incumbent practices excellent customer service in all work activities. The MST must be poised and articulate in communicating with people of varied educational levels and varied ethnic backgrounds. The MST makes caring for the veteran his/her priority in all aspects of work. The MST is willing to work cooperatively as a member of a team in all assignments.
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
- All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
Qualifications
- United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
- Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, and section A. paragraph 3j.
- One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.
Grade Determinations: The GS-7 Lead MST is the advanced performance level. The expected experience is six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work;
- OR -
Education that is one year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position;
- OR -
An equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable and the candidate must demonstrate the professional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities listed below:
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's)
1. Ability to instruct staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments.
2. Skill in communicating with staff to ensure compliance with written directives, rules, and regulations.
3. Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers.
4. Knowledge of sterility principles to instruct staff on decontamination procedures.
5. Ability to lead individuals, manage priorities, and schedule work assignments.
Preferred Experience: 3-5 years Sterile Processing experience, 1 year of Leadership experience, Certification from VHA or HSPA.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit .
Physical Requirements: This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring case carts and other objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing while on duty. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on departmental needs. These physical requirements will be consistent with VA Directive Handbook 5019.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: .
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit at .
- Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. .
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
- All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
- Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
Qualifications
- United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
- Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, and section A. paragraph 3j.
- One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.
Grade Determinations: The GS-7 Lead MST is the advanced performance level. The expected experience is six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work;
- OR -
Education that is one year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position;
- OR -
An equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable and the candidate must demonstrate the professional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities listed below:
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's)
1. Ability to instruct staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments.
2. Skill in communicating with staff to ensure compliance with written directives, rules, and regulations.
3. Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers.
4. Knowledge of sterility principles to instruct staff on decontamination procedures.
5. Ability to lead individuals, manage priorities, and schedule work assignments.
Preferred Experience: 3-5 years Sterile Processing experience, 1 year of Leadership experience, Certification from VHA or HSPA.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit .
Physical Requirements: This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring case carts and other objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing while on duty. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on departmental needs. These physical requirements will be consistent with VA Directive Handbook 5019.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: .
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit at .